Celebrating all things ‘Gray’

The Light House Cinema, Smithfield will host an afternoon and evening celebrating the Irish architect and designer Eileen Gray on film, with the theatrical release of The Price of Desire (starring Orla Brady, Vincent Perez, Francisco Scianna and Alanis Morissette) alongside companion documentary Gray Matters.

With the spotlight firmly fixed on gender inequality in the arts, both in Ireland and globally, the release of these films is remarkably timely. Mary McGuckian’s The Price Of Desire is the controversial story of how the Irish artist Eileen Gray’s influential contribution to 20th century architecture and design was almost wiped from history by the ‘Father of Modernism’, Le Corbusier. Set substantially on the Côte d’Azur in and around her most abiding work, the villa e1027, the film reveals how her relationship with Jean Badovici, the man who made Le Corbusier famous, fuelled the events surrounding Le Corbusier’s eventual removal of both Gray’s intellectual property rights and physical ownership of the villa.

Its companion piece, Gray Matters directed by Marco Orsini documents the long, fascinating life and complicated career of the architect and designer, whose uncompromising vision defined and defied the practice of modernism in decoration, design and architecture.

The event will feature screenings of both Gray Matters (matinee), followed by The Price of Desire (evening screening). Q&A panels with the filmmakers and Eileen Gray experts will follow both films. Panelists will include Mary McGuckian (writer/director), Peter O’Brien (costume designer), Jennifer Goff (Eileen Gray curator, The National Museum of Ireland) and moderated by former Irish Times Environment Editor Frank McDonald.

The event will also feature an exhibition of stills from The Price of Desire, shot by Julian Lennon and published by Stoney Road Press, and a selection of Eileen Gray furniture on display, courtesy of MINIMA Ireland.

The films are exclusive in Dublin to the Light House Cinema, and this event will commence a short theatrical run. The Price of Desire will also be released in Cork, at the Triskel Arts Centre and in Galway, at the EYE Cinema from May 27th.

Tickets: Gray Matters (€8), The Price of Desire (€10) can be purchased online here www.lighthousecinema.ie. There is also a special €16 bundle deal if purchasing tickets for both screenings. Note that this combination price can only be booked in person at Light House Box Office or over the phone on (01) 872 8006.